I'm going to begin a new temp gig soon. To all who had an assignment turn, after some time, into a solid?

full time job offer, what was your secret(s)? What did you do differently from the other temps which made the supervisor take notice and want to extend a permanent position at his/her company? I'd appreciate your feedback. One of my goals this year is to secure a full time job w/ benefits. So far, I have not received offers and very few interview appts. when directly responding to job ads. I figure (and I've seen this occur in the past) I could possibly secure a permanent staff position, if I somehow 'wowed' supervisors at a temp gig. They could save $ (putting ads in the paper, on the Net, etc..) by looking no further than in the nearby conference room, and offer me full time work.

First of all you would want to make sure it is a company that isn't just looking for temp help.

As someone who works with a few small businesses including owning one I know for a fact that often we hire temps with no intention of making it a full time position.

When I used temp agencies in the past I made it clear that I was willing to do temp-to-hire jobs, not just temp work. Anytime I wanted to get placed I would.

As someone else stated stay positive. Be helpful, listen and follow directions closely and take initiative. Sometimes if the company doesn't have any openings long term at the time they may consider you in the future if you let them know you would be interested if a position opened up.

Btw missing work as a temp will 9/10 times disqualify you for any long term positions.

I would just stay positive in the work place and always seem eager to work. Do a good job. Also get along with the other employees there. Make them sad to see you go, then they will want you to stay.

I started as a temp and was hired full time for my first job and went through a direct-hire recruiter for my last job. I would suggest finding the best direct-hire (vs. temp agency) person in your area and have them go over your resume with a fine-toothed comb. I had a decent resume, but my direct-hire recruiter tore it apart and I ended up with an excellent resume. I found out at my first job--temp to perm--that it's actually more cost efficient to hire the temp than to hire from outside. You have the inside track--just stick with it. Be early every day, not just on time. Perform tasks quickly and efficiently. Be polite & friendly--maybe even a bit more conservative than those around you. I used to bake and bring in treats for all of the staff (there was 15 of us), which definitely got me noticed. A strong work ethic will get you far. You may also have a full time offer from the temp agency, which comes with benefits--this is where you are essentially a full-time temp person. Also note, often the jobs that are advertised are not actually open to the public--employers must advertise open positions, even if they intend to fill the position from within. This is especially true for gov't work. You may have better luck with a recruiter. Try several--I interviewed with 4 different agencies before I went on an interview with an employer. When you meet the right one, you'll go on interviews right away. 4 job interviews later and I have a terrific job!